Your First Camping Trip ~ What Camping Gear to Buy and What to Borrow

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Camping can seem overwhelming for first timers. You probably don’t even know where to start and what gear you will need. Not to worry! You need not invest hundreds of dollars in equipment. Here’s what to buy and what to borrow for your first camping trip.

Buy a sleeping bag

You’ll probably want to buy your own sleeping bag. I mean, some people might not mind sleeping in someone else’s sweaty old cooties, but wouldn’t you rather use one that only has your cooties in it?When you buy a sleeping bag, you’ll need to consider the weather where you plan to camp, and how warm or cool you like to be when you sleep. This lightweight three-season bag can fold up to a tiny 11 x 5 inches, handy for a hike-in camping trip.

Invest in good hiking boots

If you plan to do any hiking during your camping trip, especially while carrying a weighty backpack, you will need to buy some sturdy, waterproof hiking boots. Ankle protection is important, too, even if you think it will be too hot. Look for grippy soles to keep from slipping on the trail. Before embarking on your first camping trip, break in your boots. Hike in your boots so they conform to your foot, your stride and your bunions. This will help prevent getting blisters during your trip as well.

Vasque Breeze are my hiking boots of choice. They took me through Newfoundland’s hilly East Coast Trail and Chile’s muddy Cochamó Valley with equal ease.

Bring your own backpack or bags

If you’re hiking to your campground, it’s important to have the right-sized backpack to be comfortable and avoid injury. Think about how much stuff you’ll need to carry, and cut it in half. The most painful part of overnight hiking is the weight you carry on your back. If you have more room, you’ll take more stuff, and you’ll be sorry. Trust me on this.

If you will be car camping, luggage like these roomy duffels by Eagle Creek will work well. They come with compartments to separate gear from clothing and have sturdy wheels for navigating rough terrain. Read a full review of these Eagle Creek duffels.

What to borrow for your first camping trip

To learn what to borrow for your first camping trip, I spoke to Kristi Bray of Recreation.gov, the website for reserving campgrounds in National Parks in the U.S. She suggests that you borrow the following things from more experienced camping friends, if you can.

Tent

Sleeping pads

Stove

Walking poles

Compact cooking kit

Water filter

Lanterns

Head lamps

Secure food bins (for locking food away from wildlife like bears)

If you borrow a tent, practice putting it up and taking it down properly before you go. Bray also suggests you test any tent’s waterproofing and reseal the seams if needed.

Most people will be happy to share their camping equipment, which usually only gets used a couple of times a year. If you don’t have any camping friends from whom to borrow these items, you can buy all that you need for your first camping trip at Bass Pro Shops, or you can rent camping gear from OutdoorsGeek.

Learn more camping tips

Now that you know what to borrow and what to buy for your first camping trip, get out there and have fun. Family camping is a great way to connect with nature and your kids. And after a few days of roughing it, you’ll all appreciate the comforts of home more! Learn more about how to make the most of your first camping trip with these tips from a camping expert now.

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About Paige Conner Totaro, The Startup Travel Mama

Paige Conner Totaro likes to help make dreams come true, whether helping people start businesses or helping people plan the trip of a lifetime. She made her own dream come true by taking a trip around the world with her husband and twin daughters in 2012 and is always planning the next adventure in travel or business (or both). Paige was a founder of Misra Records and Unquote Travel, a founding board member of the arts organization, Transformer, in Washington, DC; and a longtime board member and director of Washington Area Lawyers for the Arts. Paige is a fan of Scandinavian design, Ethiopian food, Arab hospitality, Japanese vintage stores, Brazilian music and Thai beaches, but also American craft beer, garage rock and roller derby. Can you see why her travel company is called All Over the Map? Connect with Paige on Instagram at @alloverthemap.

Definitely borrow a tent for your first camping trip. We used to borrow them from friends who only used them once or twice, and at one point our garage had 11 of them and no one knew who they belonged to, because no one recognized them. Everyone thinks they need to buy a tent for their first trip, but chances are you have multiple friends who already have one they can lend you. Definitely on the list of things to buy is a good flashlight or lantern.

I think everyone should own a sleeping bag and first aid kit. You never know when an emergency might happen and we will need to have some basic survival gear. I really like this waterproof four-season sleeping bag. Camping is so much fun. We try to go a few times a year.

I am going Leh Ladakh end of the july to enjoy trekking, camping there. Trekking is my favorite activity and tried several times but going to try camping in the forest first time. I very much excited. This list gonna be very useful for me.

Hi there! I'm Colleen Lanin, the founder of Travel Mamas. I launched this family travel blog in 2009 to help parents better connect with their kids and the world through travel and beyond. I love being a mom, traveling, swimming in fabulous hotel pools, and doing Pilates so I can eat lots of gluten-free dessert. Click on the pic to learn more about moi!